My Interview with Joe Cunnane

Joe Cunnane sat at the table sipping water out of a bottle with the City of Palm Coast sticker on it, and politely refused my offer of a cup of coffee. He came prepared to campaign, loaded with a copy of his yet unpublished book and a handful of Vote Cunnane fliers. Following is the conversations as it took place, omitting only the campaign speech that preceded it. Italics and brackets are mine.

Why Cunnane is Running for Mayor:

IH: Tell me why you are running. Why did you run the 1st time?

JC: I ran the 1st time because I was told by friends to run. I am not sorry I did run. There was a field of nine people. I was the new kid on the block, and the man who won, Jim Canfield, should have won. I was sort of a late Johnny come lately on it and I helped put together the draft for the charter for the city of Palm Coast. I believed my background in IBM management lent itself to being a good Mayor of Palm Coast. That I had the right education, the right experience; that I had something to bring. That still applies today. Today even more so because I have been so involved in the community in various activities and know more about the city government and how the county government work. I, once again, believe that I am a viable candidate for Mayor. I truly believe that I can do a better job than my opponents who are running for this election. And I love the city of Palm Coast and I love the people and I come as a full-time candidate for mayor. I will not hold a part time job as mayor, so I will devote my entire attention to being the best mayor of Palm Coast, second – yes, but the best mayor Palm Coast has ever had, that’s why I am running for mayor.

IH: Why not a city Council position?

JC: I did run for City Council 2 years ago and lost to Mr. Allen Peterson. And since the position of mayor opened up, why not go for the top…

IH: OK. Do you perceive it as The Top?

JC: I do see it as the top, because he is the chief officer in the city of Palm Coast and in times of emergency the governor of the state contacts the mayor to evacuate and such things like that. It’s a ceremonial job in many respects: he signs documents and he goes to functions and… (smiles and says “no one is more ceremonial than Joe Cunnane with his roles…”) I laugh and mention his campaign photo where he is donning a tux and we move on…

JC: I fit the image of the mayor that ought to be ceremonial. I am in good health and I have a good attitude and I am happy, and that’s the type of person that should be mayor – somebody walking around smiling and helping people. Helping the young and the old, and all in between.

On His Opponents:

IH: As far as your opponents go, what makes you so confident you are better?

J.C.: I am not saying I am better…

IH (I rephrase): What makes you so confident you will do a better job?

J.C.: I am saying that I am more qualified. I will work better… I am not saying I am a better person they are, I believe I have better credentials business wise…

IH: Jon Netts has background in policy and administration as well as in city government, yours is in IBM management. What makes you better qualified?

J.C.: At IBM I dealt with all these issues, I dealt with major corporations, I am not intimidated by the person coming before the council in a 1000 dollar silk suit and the name of a large corporation behind him that these people in past council, and I hope they stay past, were shrinking violets…in the face of big business, if you will. However, business is essential; I am not against the business community at all, I am not against profit motivation, without it the business can’t stay in business, and they can’t help us, so I am not anti-business. I will make sure that contracts are written to protect resident of Palm Coast and not the profit holders of the business… They are capable of taking care of themselves, just as the place I worked for, IBM was when I worked there. So I would be hard pressed to let them get away with loopholes in contracts as they have today.

IH: are referring specifically to the Centex project?

J.C.: Yes. A lot of my work at IBM was to review business proposals and the administrating contracts for these businesses. I was the chairman of the business review board that was made up of lawyer, industry relations, marketing, engineering, and all the disciplines necessary to bid a huge contract for a huge corporation, such as American Airlines, Met Life, banks, etc… So that training where I was sitting in the room with big business operators gives me the ability to handle whomever and whatever comes before the council. I don’t believe that my opponents have this type of on-hands background. As a matter of fact I know they do not, one of them is an educator, the other one, I don’t know what he is… BTW: have you talked to my opponents yet?

IH: I can’t answer that question.

J.C.: Oh, well, I don’t care if you talk to them… So my opponents do not have credentials on the business side of it that I have. I don’t think either of my opponents has had that kind of training I had or managed the number of people that I have managed over the years, and fired… (as an afterthought, to me, you can leave out fired, that’s negative but essential to government business… in other words, if somebody in city government is not doing their job and deserves to be fired, they have to be…for the good of the residents, and sometimes, for the good of the individual, so they can go on and be more productive at something they are good at.)

On His Personal Background:

IH: In your opinion, having been here for 11 years, … (interrupts me with the brief interlude on living for years next to Shirley Chisholm and offering Irish greetings to her, and on to a bit about his Irish background:)

IH: You were born in Queens. You feel yourself very much Irish?

J.C.: Yes, my background was in the Irish community, until I went in the Navy. My mother and father are from Ireland…(shows me a ring with a clover leaf on it that was fashioned in his mother’s hometown.) Shortly, we move on to IBM again and his role in the company with securing American Airlines contracts throughout the country. After a while, a thought drifts closer to home:

J.C. : I had to not only secure the contracts, but see them through and make sure that the terms were followed, which is what is falling apart here in Palm Coast with contracts not adhered to… Some of it is the lawyers that we have, who draft the contracts. We at IBM would only hire the best attorneys from the best schools… Here we veer off into the years at IBM, and come back after a few minutes…

JC: …So that’s why I say I have more experience than my opponents… That, and to my knowledge, neither of my opponents was in the military, not that there is anything wrong with not being in the military, but there is a certain amount of training that comes with being in the military… By leaving home and learning about what they call a chain of command. And some people miss the chain of command; it’s very essential in businesses and in governments that you know how to conduct yourself and follow the chain of command… There is something to be said for military training and I have never regretted joining the Navy at 17 and getting that training. And had I not joined the military and become a veteran I would not be the member of the VFW here in Palm Coast, where I was recently elected to a trustee position by the membership. So that was my last election…and I won. But we have over a 1000 members, so that’s significant.

IH: What do you think, less your IBM and military training, is your strongest character trait?

J.C.: I think it’s my personality. I have the personality to work with people, to get along with people, to bring people together. And that’s essential if anything is going to get accomplished. We do have diversity in Palm Coast, which I welcome, and I want people to keep coming to Palm Coast. I am encouraged more by those that have been here no more than five years and love it than the ones that didn’t leave after they decided that we shouldn’t be a city. And their numbers are fewer but they are more vocal than the people that like it. And there is a lot to do here and a lot to like here and I am willing to take on that charge.

On City’s Past Mistakes…

IH: What do you think of the new city manager?

J.C.: I am in favor of him at this time, because he impresses me. I talked to him a few times… I think he shows promise, and can do the job, given the positive city council. See, if they give him opposition and not work with him, he’ll get disgusted and leave, so we don’t want to discourage him. He is off to a good start and I would do everything in my power to continue changing the tone of city government, which was negative. The past city manager was too harsh in his dealings not only with the residents of the city but also with our neighbors and the county, and I would see the new council being friendlier and reaching out to solve problems that should be solved, must be solved.

IH: Well, Dick Kelton was a business man…

J.C.: Yes he was, but there is an attitude that goes with the business men. Some that are good and very cheerful and others that are horrible.

IH: Do you think he got the job done?

J.C.: No he didn’t. He got things done, but the stress that was caused in doing them I doubt it was worth whatever he thinks he accomplished. He did not accomplished because of his attitude… I’ll give you one example: the referendum to build the city hall and the two city centers. When I first heard about it, I went to Ira Corliss (Special Projects Manager for the City of Palm Coast) and told him that it should be broken out. At the time it was a package of all three, take it or leave it, and that was the attitude, that we could railroad it down the residents’ throats and if someone wanted a city center they had to take the city hall with it, and if somebody wanted to have the city hall but not the city center, they had to take the center with it… I wanted it broken up into 3 pieces, but only accomplished to have it broken up into two, the community centers and the city hall. I believe that we would have had the additional community center today, had they listened.

IH: What is your opinion on the city hall; do we need a new one?

J.C.: Eventually, we will need one. It’s hard to become a good city, a proud city where the city hall is housed temporarily in a factory building. What I would like to see come about is that while Palm Coast Holdings promised us the land, they have not deeded us the land in the Town Center we could use to build the city hall without undue restrictions on building timelines. I would like to see the city, even if it costs us money, to acquire the land for the city hall, and maybe put up a bandshell or something with live music for the residents, until such time as we can afford to build the city hall. We have to have the land purchased, deeded now to realize the savings on the land, as it will go up in price.

On the Arts and Entertainment Center slated for the Town Center…

JC: I am very encouraged, as a businessman, with the progress at the town center, and the amenities for the residents, such as the Arts and Entertainment Foundation Theater. I am encouraged that the city is willing to give land to this project, but it’s again, conditional with when the construction has to be completed, and how much money needs to be raised, etc. What is the hurry up all about? Palm Coast is a growing city and these things have to grow naturally; when you force something, the results aren’t as good… {note: Mr. Cunnane is a member of the Palm Coast/Flagler Foundation for the Arts and Entertainment.}

IH: When was a last time you were at a show at the Flagler Auditorium?

J.C.: I worked as an usher and a ticket clerk at the Auditorium, so I have seen shows there many times.

IH: How many times have you seen a show sold out?

J.C.: Not many, unfortunately…

IH: Why do you think that is?

J.C.: I think it has to do with advertising and the entertainment they bring in is rehashed, so I think the selection process has let them down…

IH: To put on a decent show, do you have any idea how much it costs?

J.C.: Very expensive.

IH: What would make you believe that the Arts and Entertainment Foundation, should they build the facility, will be able to sell enough tickets to cover the costs and not end up costing tax payers any money?

J.C.: It’s not tax payers’ money.

IH: Should they fail, in one way, shape or form it could become taxpayers’ money…

J.C.: That’s not true. It’s donated moneys; it’s not tax money going into it…

IH: I am projecting…

J.C.: You are spelling out the worst case scenario. I think the more seats you have, the better entertainment you can bring in. The newness and the location should also help it succeed. I believe it will succeed, and people will pay for the right shows.

IH: Should it fail, if you are elected as mayor…

J.C.: When I am elected as mayor…

IH: (playing along) When you are elected as mayor, do you think that it should at any point become supported by the tax payers.

J.C.: No, I will be saddened to see it go, but absolutely not. I don’t think the government should get involved. I am all for small government, not large government. The last thing is government should do is to run a theater, or a restaurant for that matter…

On the New Tennis Facility:

IH: Would you have voted for the new 2.5 million dollar tennis facility?

J.C.: I would have voted for the new tennis facility as tennis was one of the prime motivators for many residents to move to Palm Coast. It was unfortunate that they lost a first class facility for tennis players (the Player’s Club), that was promoted and available to them when they moved here. I am sympathetic that these people came here and lost something that enhanced their quality of life. I think the new tennis center will be a first class facility and I think it will succeed.

Some Thoughts on The Environment:

IH: What if anything are we doing wrong when it comes to preserving the natural beauty of this place, the environment?

J.C.: The environment definitely needs to be protected. We have today a recycle program that is not adequately enforced in the city of Palm Coast. When I drive up the street I see half the homes using the recycle bin. The communication of the need to recycle has not been sufficient enough. People should be made aware that when we do recycle, we receive monies back from the waste company. It’s not a huge amount of money, but there is a saving.

IH: What happens to the money we get back from recycling?

J.C.: It goes into the city’s fund. One of the carrots I see is reducing the residents’ bill if they recycle, and noting it on their utility bill. That’s a hot button to me, as you can tell.

IH: What else are we doing wrong?

J.C.: The water. I want to turn it into a business. There was a huge amount of money in uncollectable water bills. And it goes on for months and months and months. I would have them shut it off, and then evaluate it on a case by case basis. They can handle exceptional cases individually…I am a compassionate person, so I wouldn’t shut someone’s water off if they really needed a bit of a break, but that to me needs to be addressed. Those losses was just sloppy administration, as far as I am concerned. I would probably look to fire somebody if they were that negligent.

IH: What are we doing right?

J.C.: We are fixing and have been fixing the infrastructure, namely roads that were in sad need of re-pavement. The fact that we are installing lights where they are necessary. Some people would like to see more lights, but that would come in time. There is a big bill associated with putting the lights on. There are 550 miles of roads in Palm Coast, so it has to be done smart. I believe the city council should have worked smarter, not harder.

On The Incumbents

IH: Would you be happy to see everyone on the current City Council gone?

J.C.: The incumbents, yes. They didn’t do a good job. They fell down on the job, and in the election year they become very concerned about everything and they sound very good, but they were there and we need new team members. They have baggage, and if they are reelected, and I hope they won’t be, they will just give excuses for what they did wrong. The new members won’t do that, but it’s human nature, and I don’t hold it against them, I just want them gone. We have Council members that do talk more than they should, accomplish less than they say they would like to see accomplished…

IH: How do you think you will get along with the County Commissioners? Anyone on there you would like to see gone?

J.C.: I would like to see Mr. Darby either step down or be removed, Mr. Hanns…

IH: Why?

JC: I think they did the best they could but have out-staid their welcome. I believe that a new broom sweeps clean, and it’s time for a clean sweep both at the city level and at the county level. We have Abbott there now, we have Ms. Holland, we have Jim O’Connell who worked with me at IBM, worked for me…

IH: And Mr. O’Connell you are ok with staying?

J.C.: Yes, absolutely. He is the dissenting voice, and they just beat up on him. Ms. Holland, Abbot and Jim O’Connell will vote their conscience; they are not a simple majority that will vote in the block, like the other individuals I mentioned. If the incumbents, both here and at the city stay on, they will vote a simple majority, and it will be unwise.

IH: One of your opponents, Mr. Netts, has been actively involved in government of Palm Coast for a long time and is a pretty well-known person. Does that intimidate you?

J.C.: No not at all. The attitude of the government which he was part of turned off the residents on several issues and he’s lost his popularity due to all of this, and I think he will be swept out of office because of his past performance as a council member. He always straddled the middle of the road… He is a consensus individual. I am more a maverick, as you can probably tell… And Netts is not the worst thing that you could have as a mayor. I use this as a good example; I will be approachable. I am listed and I challenge people to come up to me and say Hi…Integrity is very important to me. I have it.

On Attracting Business:

IH: What would it take for a company, such as IBM to want to move any of their various offices here?

J.C.: I don’t see a Fortune 500 company moving here, but a business with under 300 employees might find this place ideal, but we have to make a better impression. Right now, bringing people to our city hall is embarrassing; I have gone to Police Stations that were friendlier. It has to be more welcoming that our Fort Knox.

Last Words:

IH: First thing you would do as mayor?

J.C.: I would meet with every one, all the new winners and get to know them. I would bring about the change of attitude in the city administration, where a friendlier manner is used and not the ‘big stick’ approach utilized by the past administration.

IH: How much money have you raised?

J.C.: A couple thousand. I am not soliciting funds from any special interests… I do not want to be owned by anyone… When I ran for Council, I contributed over 8,000 to my own campaign. At this stage of my life I cannot be bought. If someone gave me over $100.00 toward my campaign, I would turn it down.

IH: If you are not elected or don’t get through the primary election, who would you vote for out of the remaining two candidates?

J.C.: I would vote for Jon Netts. Victor Good is a phantom; I can’t imagine anyone voting for him. He is a wannabe. I think for the residents’ sakes it is better to vote for the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.